Harp



M. A. CLARK.

HARP.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.9. I916.

Patented Aug. 31, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

J71" TORNL Y M. A. CLARK.

HARP.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9. 1916.

' Patent HTS-SHE UNITED STATES MELVILLE A. CLARK, 0F SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

HARP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 31, 1920.

Application filed September '9, 1916. Serial No. 119,194.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MELVILLE A. CLARK, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in l larps, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certain improvements in harps, and more particularly to the means for fretting the strings of that type of harp which is commonly known as the Clark Irish Harp, similar to that shown in my Patent No. 1,005,157, October 10, 1911, in that it makes use of a system of movable frets for changing the pitch of the various strings.

The main object is to provide means exterior to the frame for connecting and operating the frets in sets or octaves so that those of each set may be operated simultaneously independently of those of the other sets.

I am aware that in the larger standard forms of harps, it is customary to provide means concealed within the neck and hollow body of the frame for connecting and operating the various sets of frets through the medium of pedal levers located at the base of the main body, but in the smaller harps of the type referred to, the use of such pedal-operated means is precluded by reason of the fact that the harp is supported a considerable distance above the floor or natural position of the feet when playing, and I have, therefore, sought to provide simple and comparatively inexpensive means for accomplishing similar results by hand through the medium of external link means and suitable manuals within convenient reaching distance of the operator.

Another object is to enable the different sets of frets to be operated by either hand from either side or face of the harp, and also from an intermediate position between the neck and base.

Other objects and uses relating to specific parts of the fret-operating means will be brought out in the following description.

In the drawin Figure 1 is a side elevation of a harp embodying the various features of my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged top plan of the same harp showing a portion of the neck in section. I

Fig. 3 is an enlarged face view of a portion of the neck of the frame and adjacent portions of two of the links and operating means therefor, some of the frets being shown in section.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view taken on line 44, Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on line 55, Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged face View of one of the rocking sectors on the front post of the frame showing the manner of attaching one of the links thereto for operating the corresponding link for one set of fret keys.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view of one of the frets and adjacent portion of the neck in which it is mounted, showing its connection with one of the links leading to the corresponding finger piece on the post and also showing its connection with the links leading to other frets on the neck.

The frame of the harp comprises the usual hollow body or column 1-, the front post 2- and the neck 3 rigidly connected to each other in any well-known manner for supporting the strings 4, the lower ends of which are attached to the sounding board of the hollow column -1, while their upper ends are connected to the usual tuning pins 5.

Suitable frets 6 (one for each string) are systematically mounted upon the upper portion or neck 3 of the frame and are preferably journaled in suitable bearings 7 adjacent their respective strings so as to rock about parallel horizontal axes, each fret being provided with an eccentrically disposed contact roller 8 movable into and out of engagement with its corresponding string for varying its pitch as the fret is rocked in reverse directions, each fret being returned to and held in its normal position by a retracting spring 9, as shown more clearly in Figs. 3 and 4.

The frets of each set corresponding to the strings of the same denomination throughout the range of the harp are connected for simultaneous movement by links 10- which may be shifted in reverse directions by a finger-piece or manual -11- so that the operation of any one of the manuals from its normal position ,will fret all of the strings of like denominations simultaneously. I

It is, therefore, evident that in order to il V or right-hand site of the neck -3' of the inane-es all of the strings of one denomination throughout the entire range of the harp, it is necessary to provice only one finger" pieze'or manual for each of frets, or seven manuals in all,-that is, one manual )r all of the strings; another for all of the D strings; a separate manual for all of and so on throughout the Th 3 t-l end of one of the frets of each set pro r beyond the ad acent frame and is provided with a crank 5;

arm I constituting an operating lever or 'or-piece by h ch the corresponding set rrets may be filljllStGtl by the right hand 0 their operative positions. v

llacii fret is normally held in such position that its con act member 8- is substantially midway'betu'een and out of contact with the adjacent strings -4r-, but is moval= e tirough an arc of approximately 5 degrees to a between its point of contact with the string and its of movement so thatthe pressure of the string against the contact member -"3 will be toward said axis will automatically hold the fret in its fretting position, but when moved slightly from such position will be automatically returned to its normal; position by its retracting spring -9 aided by the tension of the string engaged thereby, the roller contact -8 friction and position in a direct line servin to reduce consequent wear or the strings.

ln some instances, it may be found more advant goons to provide means for operatin the several sets of frets at points some d ince below the neck or within easy reaching distance of the left hand which operates more often upon the longer strings near the front post, and for this purpose I have provided the first seven frets from the f arms -1l rent, with additional crank The arms.- l are connected by wires is with separate finger pieces or manuals l6-'-- which are ournaled in the front post -2- at points some distance below the plane of intersection of the front string with said post so as not to interfere with the free operation of the strings by hand, the several manuals-d6 being disposed in planes one above the other to permit them to be operated freelywithout interference one with the other.

Each of these operating 1.6 comprises a rock shaft l? ournaled 1n a suitable bearing -1S in the post 2- parallel with the axes of the frets and having their outer ends protruding beyond the left-hand side of said post and provided with operating levers or finger-pieces --19 having crank-arms secured thereto and attached to the lower ends of the links 15, 5 and 6.

i is. shown more clearly in Fig. 5, the bearl8 for the reel: shaft 14' is slid- --22-, and is provided on its outer end with am faces 2 :3- riding against similar cam faces on the adjacent side of the crank arm 20 so that when the finger lever l9 and cranlr arm are shifted from their normal positions to fret the corresponding set of strings, the cams o. the inner face of the crank arms 20 will ride up the inclines of the cam faces -23, thereby forcing t ft is, therefore, obvious that when the automatic returning means for he lever -l9 is used, the springs -9 may be dispensed with because the link 15 will efett the return of all of the of the corresponding set.

ll hat I claim is:

1. A harp having all of its strings attached to the'neck at oneand th same side thereof, in combination with movable frets, one for each string, mounted on the neck,

7 and operating members for said frets at the opposite side of the neck.

2. A harp having all of its strings attached to the neck at one and the same side thereof, in combination with movable frets, one for each string, mounted on the neck, each fret having operating devices at both sides of the neck.

3. A harp having movablefrets for its several strings, connected in octave sets for simultaneous movement of those of each set, each set having a finger piece projecting some distance below thenecltfor operating rate operating means including a finger piece extending some distance below the neck.

5. A harp having individual frets for the several Strings journaled on the neck of the harp and connected in octave sets, the connections for each set being provided with a finger piece projecting below the bottom of the neck for simultaneously operating the frets of that set.

6. In a harp, a set of frets for certain strings, connections between said frets for causing them to move in unison, and means including a finger-piece on the front post of the harp for shifting said connections.

7. In a harp, the combination of a fret, a movable finger-piece on the front post of the harp, connections between said fingerpiece and fret for operating the latter, and means for automatically returning the finger-piece to its normal position after being started by hand.

8. A harp having individual frets for its several strings connected in octave sets for simultaneous operation of the frets of each set, the connections for each set being provided with individual finger pieces projecting below the under side of the neck at one and the same side thereof.

9. A harp having individual frets for its several strings connected in octave sets for simultaneous operation of the frets of each set, the connections for each set being provided with individual finger pieces projecting below the under side of the neck at one and the same side thereof, said frets having additional individual finger pieces at the opposite side of the neck.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 30th day of August, 1916.

MELVILLE A. CLARK.

\Vitnesses:

H. E. GHAsE, ALICE M. CANNON. 

